Refrigerating apparatus



March 27, 1934. o. H. REEVES REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 19, 1930I N VEN TOR w 12% A TTORNE Y NM W Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Donald H. Reeves, Dayton, Ohio,assignor to Frigidaire Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a. corporation ofDelaware Application February 19, 1930, Serial No. 429,766

6 Claims. (Cl. 62-116) cabinet.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means forsealing the aforesaid freezing compartment.

More specifically it is an object to provide an improved refrigeratorcabinet providing a cooling compartment and to dispose a refrigeratingelement within the said cooling compartment, said refrigerating elementbeing arranged to provide a freezing compartment for housing at least,one ice-making container in intimate thermal contact with saidrefrigerating element, and to provide for closing" said freezingcompartment,

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, wherein a preferred .form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation of a refrigerator cabinet embodyingfeatures of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section of a portion of the refrigerator shownin Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in cross-section taken in the direction of arrows 3-3of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a sealing gasket forming a part of thepresent invention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 20 designates a refrigeratorcabinet provided with a cooling compartment 21, and includes a.compartment 22 for enclosing a refrigerant circulating element forcirculating refrigerant through a refrigerating element or evaporatordesignated 25. Any suitable refrigerant circulating element may be usedfor supplying refrigerant to the refrigerating element25, preferably, arefrigerating element of the compression type, for instance arefrigerating element similar to the type disclosed in the patent to H.B. Hull, No. 1,648,178, issued November 8, 1927.

The cabinet 20 includes walls 30 having an inner lining 31, andinsulation 32 disposed between lining 31 and an outer covering 33. Thecabinet 20 also includes an opening 35 closed by a door 36, which doorcloses the cooling compartment 21.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the O refrigerating element 25may be suspended within the cooling compartment 21 in any suitablemanner, preferably, by the means 40. The refrigerating element includesa header 42 having a plurality of ducts or loops 43 and 44 arranged instaggered relation, and a valve plate 46. Any suitable valve mechanismmay be employed for controlling the evaporator, preferably the usualfloat valve mechanism. The valve plate 46 includes a connection 48 for asuction pipe 49 and a connection 50 for a refrigerant pipe 52, whichpipes may extend through an opening 54, of the cabinet 20, and lead tothe refrigerant circulating element.

The refrigerating element 25 may be provided with means for forming afreezing compartment 61 having an open front 62. The means 60 includes asleeve 65 which may be closed on the one end 66 thereof by any suitablemeans, and may include insulating means 70 secured to, and extendingaround, the open front 62 thereof, preferably, by rivets 71. Theinsulating means 70 may be of any suitable insulating material,preferably, rubber having a soft yielding portion 70a and a hardenedportion 7017, the purpose of said insulating means being describedhereinafter. The means 60 is arranged for housing a plurality ofice-making containers or trays and is provided with shelves 81 forsupporting same. The sleeve 65 may be secured to the inner branches orloops 44 in any suitable manner, preferably, by solder. Thus thefreezing compartment will be in thermal contact with the inner branchesor loops 44 of the refrigerating element 25, while the outer branches orloops 43 may be employed for cooling the compartment 21 and forpre-cooling the air contacting with the means 60 forming the freezingcompartment 61.

In order to provide means for effectually sealing the freezingcompartment, the insulating means 70 has been provided. Thus therefrigerating element 25 is so positioned within the cabinet that thedoor 36 which closes the opening 35 of the cooling compartment 21 isemployed for closing and sealing the open front 62 of the freezingcompartment 61. Thus, the door 36 will engage the insulating means 70,which extends around the open end of the freezing compartment, to sealsaid freezing compartment in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in thedrawing. Thus the soft portion 70a of the insulating means l yi Slightlyto form a positive seal around the open end of the freezing compartment.

In order to improve the appearance of the interior of the cabinet 20, abaffle plate 90 has been provided. The baffle 90 may be secured to thesleeve by bolts 91, and may be used for hiding the loops 43 and 44, andthe evaporator 42 from view from the front of the cabinet when the door36 is open.- For the purpose of clear illustration, the bafile 90 is notshown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description it will be noted that there is providedan evaporator provided with means for forming a freezing, compartmentadapted to house a plurality of ice trays, which freezing compartment iseffectually sealed to prevent the circulation of air in said compartmentto thus prevent the collection of moisture therein which would cause thetrays to freeze tightly in place. It will also be noted that saidfreezing compartment is disposed in a cooling compartment in such amamier so as to be sealed by the same door which closes the coolingcompartment of said cabinet. Also that insulating means is provided foreffectually sealing said freezing compartment. Thus the freezingcompartment will be effectually sealed.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet forming a cooling compartment,a refrigerating element suspended in and exposed to the air within saidcooling compartment, said refrigerating element-forming a freezingcompartment having an open front, the front edges of said freezingcompartment being relatively narrow, a gasket seal, extending aroundsaid open front of said freezing compartment, means for attaching saidgasket seal to the front edges of said freezing compartment, said gasketseal having a groove therein fitting over the front edges of saidfreezing compartment, and a; door for closing said compartment andcooperating with said gasket seal for sealing said freezing compartment.

2. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet forming a cooling compartment,a refrigerating ele- 'ment disposed in and exposed to the air withinsaid cooling compartment, said refrigerating element forming a freezingcompartment having an open front, a gasket extending around the openfront of said refrigerating element and being provided with means forreceiving and concealing the edge of said refrigerating element adjacentsaid open front thereof, means engaging said gasket and saidrefrigerating element for securing the gasket in position, and a doorfor closing said cooling compartment and cooperating with said gasketfor sealing said freezing compartment.

3. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet forming a cooling compartment,a refrigerating element disposed in and exposed to the air within saidcooling compartment, said refrigerating element forming a freezingcompartment having an open front, a gasket of soft resilient materialextending around the open front of said refrigeratmg element and havinga groove formed therein for receiving and concealing the edge of saidrefrigerating element adjacent said open front thereof, means extendingthrough a portion of said gasket and engaging said refrigerating elementfor securing the gasket in position, and a door for closing said coolingcompartment and for engaging said gasket to seal said freezingcompartment. I

4. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet forminga cooling. compartment,a refrigerating element disposed in and'exposed to the air within saidcooling compartment, said refrigerating elementforming a freezingcompartment having an open front, a gasket extending around the openfront of said refrigerating element, said gasket including asubstantially rigid portion provided with means receiving and concealingthe edge of said refrigerating element adjacent said open front thereofand also including an outwardly extending soft resilient portion formedintegral with said rigid portion, and adoor for closing said coolingcompartment and cooperating with thesoft resilient portion of saidgasket for sealing said freezing compartment.

5. In combination, a refrigerator cabinet forming a cooling compartment,a refrigerating element disposed in and exposed to the air within saidcooling compartment, said refrigerating element forming a freezingcompartment having an open front, a rubber gasket extending around theopen front of said refrigerating element, said rubber gasket including asubstantially hard rigid portion having a groove formed thereinreceiving and concealing the edge of said refrigerating element adjacentsaid open front thereof and also including a soft resilient portionmoulded integral with said hard rigid portion and extending outwardlytherefrom, and a door for closing said cooling compartment andcooperating with the soft resilient portion of said gasket for sealingsaid freezing compartment.

6. A refrigerator. having partitioning means dividing the saidrefrigerator into a plurality of open sided compartments, a door forclosing the open sides of the compartments, a gasket cooperating withthe door and the edges of the dividing means for substantially isolatingthe compartments from one another, said gasket comprising a flexibleresilient material having a groove fitting the edge of said dividingmeans, and means for securing the gasket to said dividing means.

DONALD H. REEVES.

